Portable simulated golf game

ABSTRACT

A portable table-type golf game construction comparable with miniature golf and embodying a cloth-covered panel which constitutes a game board and whose marginal edges are encompassed by an attached complemental frame, that is, an adaptation having an upstanding ball confining rim and a depending skirt capable of self standing use atop a support table or the like. The playing surface represents a fairway. The proximal end provides a starting tee for the golf ball. The distal or scoring end is provided with a ball receiving trough-equipped cup. The median portion therebetween is provided with removable inserts which constitute hazards and are changeable. A miniaturized putter is equipped at an upper end with an anti-slipping grip which is caught hold of by the thumb and fingers and is rolled and rocked to propel the golf ball.

United States Patent [191 Greenberg 1 Apr. 2, 1974 1 PORTABLE SIMULATED GOLF GAME [75] Inventor: Theodore H. Greenberg, Bradford,

[731 Assignees: Henry Graft; Richard Fishkin,

Bradford, Pa. part interest to each [22] Filed: Nov. 22, 1971 211 App]. No.: 200,881

[52] US. Cl 273/87.2, 273/125 R, 273/129 [51] Int. Cl. A631 7/06 [58] Field of Search 273/87, 87.2, 87.4, 118 R, 273/119 R, 122 R, 123 R, 125 R, 127 R, 127

B, 127 C, 176 B, 176 F, 176 H, 178 B Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerHarry G. Strappello Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A portable table-type golf game construction comparable with miniature golf and embodying a clothcovered panel which constitutes a game board and whose marginal edges are encompassed by an attached complemental frame, that is, an adaptation having an upstanding ball confining rim and a depending skirt capable of self standing use atop a support table or the like. The playing surface represents a fairway. The proximal end provides a starting tee for the golf ball. The distal or scoring end is provided with a ball receiving trough-equipped cup. The median portion therebetween is provided with removable inserts which constitute hazards and are changeable. A miniaturized putter is equipped at an upper end with an anti-slipping grip which is caught hold of by the thumb and fingers and is rolled and rocked to propel the golf ball.

3 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PORTABLE SIMULATED GOLF GAME This invention relates to a portable table type golf game which, broadly categorized, is comparably similar to miniature golf and which, more specifically stated, is characterized by a structurally and functionally novel game board having complemental game playing facilities which lend themselves to coordinating use of a small golf ball and a proportionately small thumb and finger suspended and actuated putter.

Persons conversant with the field of invention herein under consideration are well aware that portable tablesize golf games have been devised and offered for use primarily by youngsters and which appear not to have been endorsed for widespread use by adults. An object of the instant invention is to advance the art and, in so doing, to provide an innovation which when successfully used becomes a game of skill for rival players who enjoy well directed competition.

For background purposes the reader may desire to evaluate S. G. Quackenbush et al., US. Pat. No. 3,068,009 and, as falling within the same category, the golf game of Peter C. Jurs, US. Pat. No. 1,732,518. These two prior patents are of general interest only. As having a closer bearing on the herein disclosed game construction reference can be made to John S. Akerman covering a golf game apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 706,873. Akerman shows a marginally rimmed or framed game board with a covered surface, a ball receiving cup, discharge trough and proportionately small putter. Because of structural and functional differences hereinafter set forth no further assessment of the prior art is deemed necessary.

Briefly, the invention herein revealed pertains to a golf game which can be said to be analagous to and comparable with miniature golf. It comprises a portable table-type game board marginally surrounded by a complemental frame having upstanding members defining a ball confining rim, and depending members defining a game board supporting base or skirt. The game board is characterized by suitable plastic or equivalent sturdy but lightweight panel whose flat top surface is covered with green pool table cloth which constitutes the elongate fairway. The end where the rival participants stand constitutes the proximal end and functions as a ball placing and putting tee. The opposite remote or distal end provides a target area and has a ball receiving and scoring cup and an intake and discharging underlying ball return trough or channel. The median or inbetween portion is provided with insertable and removable paired units or inserts which function as hazards. These hazards are spaced apart to provide a path by way of which the golf ball travels from the tee to the cup. The ball is set into motion by a thumb and finger supported putter which, after due experimentation, can be skillfully handled. The hazards are not only removable from opposed playing positions but can be exchanged for other distinguishably delineated hazards in a manner which will be hereinafter more fully comprehended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a portable simulated golf game constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the same set up for use and with the ball teed up and the hand supported pendulum type putter poised for use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detailed section taken approximately on the plane of the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on the plane of the vertical section line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a similar view taken on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIG. 1 and showing, in phantom lines, the attachable and detachable hazard, that is, the one to the left in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of the pendulum type putter.

The panel 8, which constitutes the game board proper, is provided with fiat top and bottom surfaces and is rectangular in plan and functions in the manner clear from the illustrative views of the drawings. The top side of the panel is covered with pool table cloth as at 10. The board or panel is marginally encompassed by a rectangular frame 12 embodying interconnected longitudinal and transverse frame members. The panel is supported between the frame members in the manner shown in FIG. 2 in particular so that the upper half portion defines a ball confining rim l4 and the lower half portion provides a skirt-like base 16 which, in practice, resides on a table-top or other support surface 17. The end at the right in FIG. 1 constitutes the proximal end, that is, the end where the participating players stand and putt the ball. The opposite or remote end constitutes the distal end. It will be noted, in this connection, that the end member 18 is provided with a downwardly opening kerf or notch 20 which provides a ball outlet. There is a cup or hole at the distal end which is centered from either side and from the end member 18. This hole or cup is denoted at 22 and communicates with an elongated trough or channel which is denoted at 24. The inlet end portion is closed as at 26 andis communicable with the cup 22. There is a selfcontained inclined chute 28 built into the trough and which serves to permit the ball to gravitate and discharge by way of the outlet opening 20. The starting end portion of the game board, denoted generally at 30 in FIG. 1, functions as an appropriate tee for the golf ball 32. The target area, the area where the cup is located, is denoted at 34.

It is in the median or in-between area that the aforementioned insertable and removable hazards or inserts are arranged to act on the ball in its movement from the tee 30 to the cup 22. These hazards are structurally distinct from each other and are employed in pairs, the one at the left in FIG. 1 being denoted by the numeral 36 and the one at the right by the numeral 38. The somewhat U-shaped hazard 36 has its end portions 40 angled to abut the interior of the rim 14. The hazard 38 at the right in FIG. 1 has its end portions 42 cut off to firmly abut the interior of the rim in the manner illustrated. The median area in which the hazards are located is conveniently denoted at 44. A median portion of each hazard is provided with a keeper hole 46 (FIG. 4) for the shank of a headed anchoring pin 48. The pin passes downwardly through the keeper hole into an aligned keepersocket 50 which is provided in the panel. When these two hazards 36 and 38 are pinned in place, the marginal edges 52 and 54 are spaced apart to define an oblique angled pathway 56 which has to be traversed by the ball on its way to the target area 34 and eventually into the cup 42.

It will be understood that each hazard will have stamped on it the hole number and the par for that particular hole (not shown).

The arrangement appearing in FIG. 1 can be assumed that which is used to play hole number one. When the time comes to play hole number two and for each hole thereafter, the hazards which are then in place are re leased and removed and other differently shaped hazards are used in lieu thereof. Most of the parts of the game will be made of plastic, the ball of rubber or plastic and the unique putter will be made of metal. This is to say, the putter 58 preferred is one which is crankshaped or L-shaped in form and embodies a shank 60, an end 62 of which is joined centrally to the rectangular block-like head 64. The laterally directed end portion 66 is provided with a ribbed or grooved rubber antislipping grip 68.

In practice, the ball 32 is teed up in the manner suggested in FIG. 1. Assuming that the hazards or inserts 36 are in place and pinned properly, the game can begin. Although other ways of handling the putter can be resorted to, experience has shown that best results are had by holding the anti-slipping grip between the thumb and index fingers and then rolling or rocking the clubhead back and forth in a pendulum-like manner.

It is submitted that a careful consideration of the specification in conjunction with the views of the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention and of the manner of use thereof. Accordingly, a more extended description is believed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A miniature golf game comprising a portable tabletype panel having a substantially planar upper surface marginally surrounded by a complemental frame having an upstanding ball confining rim defining a playing surface, said surface representing a fairway and embodying a starting area at one end constituting a ball placing and putting tee, and a target and scoring area at an opposite end provided with a stationary ball receiving and scoring cup, a pair of insertable and removable individual hazards seated atop a predetermined area of said playing surface midway thereof and spaced from said tee and cup, respectively, and attaching and retaining means securing said hazards in position on the playing surface, one hazard being located and seated toward the left side of the playing surface and having predetermined portions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the left rim, the other hazard being located and seated toward the right side of said playing surface and likewise having predeterminedportions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the right rim, both of said hazards having inwardly disposed marginal edges which are opposed to each other in spaced relationship transversely of the playing surface and in a manner to delineate and border an intervening open-ended pathway, said pathway affording restricted communication between said tee and target areas, said hazards being distinct and different in top plan configuration and having flat top and bottom surfaces, said hazards being rectangular in cross-section and of a cross-sectional dimension less than the height of the upstanding rim, whereby the top surfaces are disposed in a plane below the upper lengthwise edges of said rim, said attaching and retaining means including a pair of apertures in said panel oriented in equally spaced relation to the side and end rims, each hazard having a pin associated therewith, said pins being located an equal distance from the outside peripheral edge of the hazards thereby enabling removal and interchange of hazards, and a miniaturized pendulum-type putter comprising a head having a complemental upstanding balanced shank, said head being perpendicular to the shank and extending equally to oppsoite sides thereof, said shank having a right angularly directed upper end providing a finger-piece, an anti-slipping sleeve on said finger-piece, said sleeve constituting a finger-grip which is capable of being rocked and rolled between the users thumb and fingers, and a small golf ball which is adapted to be struck and set into motion by the pendulum action of said putter.

2. The golf game defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said frame also embodies a depending board-encompassing skirt portion which is adapted to rest on a relatively stationary support surface in a manner to elevate the board above said surface, an elongated ball receiving and channeling trough mounted on an underneath surface of said board, said trough having an outwardly and downwardly sloping chute and having a ball inlet end communicatively registering with said cup and an open discharge end aligned and communicating with a ball outlet opening provided therefor in a coordinating end portion of said skirt portion.

3. A miniature golf game comprising a portable tabletype panel marginally surrounded by a complemental frame having upstanding ball confining rim means and a depending skirt-like base means for contacting a supporting surface, said panel having a planar top surface covered with cloth and constituting a playing surface as well as representing a fairway, said playing surface having a starting area at the proximal end of the game board constituting a ball placing and putting tee, having a target area at the opposite distal end provided with a stationary ball receiving and scoring cup and on the underside of the panel with a ball gravitating and return trough, said trough having an inlet end communicating with said cup, said game board having a median portion ranging between said tee and cup, and insertable and removable hazards, there being two hazards, one hazard being located and retentively but releasably held toward the left side of the playing surface and having predetermined portions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the left rim means, the other hazard being located and releasably and retentively held toward the right side of the playing surface and likewise having portions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the right rim means, both of said hazards having inwardly disposed marginal edges which are opposed to each other in transversely spaced relation in a manner to delineate and border an intervening open ended pathway, said pathway affordopposite sides thereof, said shank having a right angularly directed upper end providing a finger-piece, more particularly, a finger-piece which is equipped with an anti-slipping sleeve, said sleeve constituting a fingergrip which is capable of being rocked and rolled between the users thumb and fingers, and a small golf ball which is adapted to be struck and set into motion by the pendulum action of said putter. 

1. A miniature golf game comprising a portable table-type panel having a substantially planar upper surface marginally surrounded by a complemental frame having an upstanding ball confining rim defining a playing surface, said surface representing a fairway and embodying a starting area at one end constituting a ball placing and putting tee, and a target and scoring area at an opposite end provided with a stationary ball receiving and scoring cup, a pair of insertable and removable individual hazards seated atop a predetermined area of said playing surface midway thereof and spaced from said tee and cup, respectively, and attaching and retaining means securing said hazards in position on the playing surface, one hazard being located and seated toward the left side of the playing surface and having predetermined portions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the left rim, the other hazard being located and seated toward the right side of said playing surface and likewise having predeterminedportions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the right rim, both of said hazards having inwardly disposed marginal edges which are opposed to each other in spaced relationship transversely of the playing surface and in a manNer to delineate and border an intervening open-ended pathway, said pathway affording restricted communication between said tee and target areas, said hazards being distinct and different in top plan configuration and having flat top and bottom surfaces, said hazards being rectangular in cross-section and of a cross-sectional dimension less than the height of the upstanding rim, whereby the top surfaces are disposed in a plane below the upper lengthwise edges of said rim, said attaching and retaining means including a pair of apertures in said panel oriented in equally spaced relation to the side and end rims, each hazard having a pin associated therewith, said pins being located an equal distance from the outside peripheral edge of the hazards thereby enabling removal and interchange of hazards, and a miniaturized pendulum-type putter comprising a head having a complemental upstanding balanced shank, said head being perpendicular to the shank and extending equally to oppsoite sides thereof, said shank having a right angularly directed upper end providing a finger-piece, an anti-slipping sleeve on said finger-piece, said sleeve constituting a finger-grip which is capable of being rocked and rolled between the users thumb and fingers, and a small golf ball which is adapted to be struck and set into motion by the pendulum action of said putter.
 2. The golf game defined in and according to claim 1, and wherein said frame also embodies a depending board-encompassing skirt portion which is adapted to rest on a relatively stationary support surface in a manner to elevate the board above said surface, an elongated ball receiving and channeling trough mounted on an underneath surface of said board, said trough having an outwardly and downwardly sloping chute and having a ball inlet end communicatively registering with said cup and an open discharge end aligned and communicating with a ball outlet opening provided therefor in a coordinating end portion of said skirt portion.
 3. A miniature golf game comprising a portable table-type panel marginally surrounded by a complemental frame having upstanding ball confining rim means and a depending skirt-like base means for contacting a supporting surface, said panel having a planar top surface covered with cloth and constituting a playing surface as well as representing a fairway, said playing surface having a starting area at the proximal end of the game board constituting a ball placing and putting tee, having a target area at the opposite distal end provided with a stationary ball receiving and scoring cup and on the underside of the panel with a ball gravitating and return trough, said trough having an inlet end communicating with said cup, said game board having a median portion ranging between said tee and cup, and insertable and removable hazards, there being two hazards, one hazard being located and retentively but releasably held toward the left side of the playing surface and having predetermined portions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the left rim means, the other hazard being located and releasably and retentively held toward the right side of the playing surface and likewise having portions removably abutting interior faces of coacting portions of the right rim means, both of said hazards having inwardly disposed marginal edges which are opposed to each other in transversely spaced relation in a manner to delineate and border an intervening open ended pathway, said pathway affording restricted communication between said tee and target areas, said hazards and panel having interengaging means retaining the hazards on the panel, said retaining means being disposed symmetrically with respect to the rim means and hazards to enable the hazards to be selectively used and interchanged, a miniaturized pendulum-type putter comprising a head having a complemental upstanding balanced shank, said head being perpendicular to the shank and extending equally to opposite sides thereof, said shank having a right Angularly directed upper end providing a finger-piece, more particularly, a finger-piece which is equipped with an anti-slipping sleeve, said sleeve constituting a finger-grip which is capable of being rocked and rolled between the users thumb and fingers, and a small golf ball which is adapted to be struck and set into motion by the pendulum action of said putter. 